scholarly journals Human hair cortisol analysis: Comparison of the internationally-reported ELISA methods

2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wed F Albar ◽  
Evan W Russell ◽  
Gideon Koren ◽  
Michael J Rieder ◽  
Stan H Van Umm
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Chronic Stress ◽  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Clinical Use ◽  
Hair Cortisol ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Elisa Kit ◽  
Exchange Program ◽  
American Laboratory

Purpose: Recently, hair cortisol has become a topic of global interest as a biomarker of chronic stress. Different research groups have been using different methods for extraction and analysis, making it difficult to compare results across studies. A critical examination of the reported analytical methods is important to facilitate standardization and allow for a uniform interpretation. Methods: This study qualitatively compared four published procedures from laboratories in Germany, the Netherlands, USA and Canada. Multiple aspects of their procedures were compared. Results: A major difference among the laboratories was the ELISA kit used: the Canadian laboratory used the kit from ALPCO Diagnostics (Salem, MA, USA), the American laboratory used the kit from DRG International (Springfield, NJ, USA), the German laboratory used the kit from DRG Instruments GmbH (Marburg, Germany), or IBL (Hamburg, Germany), and the Dutch used the kit from Salimetrics (Suffolk, UK). In addition, there are noted differences in hair mass used as well as washing and extraction procedures. The range of hair cortisol levels determined in healthy volunteers by the four groups was within 2.3-fold: Koren, 46.1 pg/mg; Van Rossum, 29.72 pg/mg; Kirschbaum, 20 pg/mg and Laudenslager ~ 27 pg/mg. Conclusions: The relative similarities in hair cortisol values in volunteers among the four laboratories should facilitate a quality assurance exchange program, as a necessary step toward clinical use of this novel test.

scholarly journals The Application of NMR Spectroscopy and Chemometrics in Authentication of Spices

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 382
Author(s):  
Barbara Pacholczyk-Sienicka ◽  
Grzegorz Ciepielowski ◽  
Łukasz Albrecht
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Nmr Spectroscopy ◽  
Sample Preparation ◽  
Bioactive Compounds ◽  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Chemometric Analysis ◽  
Spectroscopic Methods ◽  
Regular Consumption ◽  
No Sample Preparation

Spices and herbs are among the most commonly adulterated food types. This is because spices are widely used to process food. Spices not only enhance the flavor and taste of food, but they are also sources of numerous bioactive compounds that are significantly beneficial for health. The healing effects of spices are connected with their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and carminative properties. However, regular consumption of adulterated spices may cause fatal damage to our system because adulterants in most cases are unhealthy. For that reason, the appropriate analytical methods are necessary for quality assurance and to ensure the authenticity of spices. Spectroscopic methods are gaining interest as they are fast, require little or no sample preparation, and provide rich structural information. This review provides an overview of the application of NMR spectroscopy combined with chemometric analysis to determine the quality and adulteration of spices.

scholarly journals The impact of preschool child and maternal attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms on mothers’ perceived chronic stress and hair cortisol

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Szép ◽  
Nadine Skoluda ◽  
Susan Schloß ◽  
Katja Becker ◽  
Ursula Pauli-Pott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Chronic Stress ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Adhd Symptoms ◽  
Hair Cortisol ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Child Adhd ◽  
Maternal Adhd

AbstractProviding care for a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with parenting stress. Moreover, adults with elevated ADHD symptoms report increased perceived stress. Despite this, it has rarely been examined whether and how child and maternal ADHD symptoms may affect maternal perceived stress and the stress-sensitive hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. This study therefore investigated the possible impact of child and maternal ADHD symptoms on mothers' perceived chronic stress and hair cortisol concentration (HCC), while simultaneously considering the effects of child oppositional defiant/conduct disorder (ODD/CD) and maternal depressive symptomatology. In total, 124 mothers (35.96 ± 5.21 years) of preschool children were included. Maternal perceived stress, ADHD and depressive symptoms were assessed using self-report measures. Child ADHD symptoms were assessed using an interview and questionnaires completed by mothers and teachers. Additionally, mothers provided information about their children’s ODD/CD symptoms. Hair samples were taken from mothers to assess HCC. Child and maternal ADHD, child ODD/CD, and maternal depressive symptoms accounted for 50% of the variance in perceived chronic stress (F(4, 119) = 30.24; p < 0.01), with only maternal ADHD (β = 0.52, p < 0.01) and depressive symptoms (β = 0.49, p < 0.01) being uniquely significant. Maternal ADHD symptoms did not moderate the relationship between child ADHD symptoms and maternal perceived chronic stress (b = − 0.01; SE b = 0.17; t(5, 118) = − 0.05; p = 0.96). Mother’s age became the only significant predictor of maternal HCC (β = 0.29; p < 0.01). Based on these findings, practitioners are advised to be aware of and take into account possible maternal ADHD and depressive symptomatology and perceived chronic stress when treating children diagnosed with ADHD.

Analytical methods and quality assurance

2000 ◽  
Vol 31 (11-14) ◽  
pp. 1965-1972
Author(s):  
Rodney Luciuk ◽  
Gary E. Winkleman ◽  
Mark Sluser ◽  
Patrick A. Taylor ◽  
Arnie M. Ens
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Analytical Methods

scholarly journals The current status of ultrasound practice in Kano metropolis, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Sidi ◽  
Ghali Makoda Sani ◽  
Anas Ya’u ◽  
Joseph Dlama Zira ◽  
Shem Samuel Loshugno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Professional Practice ◽  
Human Body ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Electronic Noise ◽  
Clinical Use ◽  
Abdominal Masses ◽  
Poor Understanding ◽  
Ultrasound Technology

Abstract Background Ultrasound has been in clinical use to image the human body for over half a century. An audit should be performed on professional practice aimed at taking corrective measures where errors are identified and improvement in the practice when errors are not detected. This study is aimed at evaluating the current status of ultrasound practice in Kano metropolis, Nigeria. Results Out of the 70 (100%) administered questionnaires, 68 (97.14%) were returned, and 64 (91.43%) were properly filled. Fifty-eight (90.6%) knew the exact meaning of ultrasound, and 34 (53%) considered ultrasound as a modality of choice for imaging and diagnosis of abdominal masses. None of the participants was exposed to advanced ultrasound technology. Only 3 (4.7%) and 5 (7.8%) of the respondents performed infection control, air reverberation pattern and electronic noise checks. Conclusion Ultrasound practitioners demonstrate good knowledge of ultrasound and its application. However, there was unavailability of advanced ultrasound equipment. There was also poor understanding and practice of quality assurance among practitioners. Ultrasound equipment might have been grossly underutilized and qualities of images produced by the equipment are not certain were optimal.

Hair cortisol and its potential value as a physiological measure of stress response in human and non-human animals

2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 401 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Burnard ◽  
C. Ralph ◽  
P. Hynd ◽  
J. Hocking Edwards ◽  
A. Tilbrook
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Stress ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Sampling Site ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Hair Cortisol ◽  
Hair Sampling ◽  
Acute And Chronic Stress ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Technical Validation ◽  
Response To Stress

There is considerable interest in the potential for measuring cortisol in hair as a means of quantifying stress responses in human and non-human animals. This review updates the rapid advancement in our knowledge of hair cortisol, methods for its measurement, its relationship to acute and chronic stress, and its repeatability and heritability. The advantages of measuring cortisol in hair compared with other matrices such as blood, saliva and excreta and the current theories of the mechanisms of cortisol incorporation into the fibre are described. Hair cortisol as a measure of the physiological response to stress in a variety of species is presented, including correlations with other sample matrices, the relationship between hair cortisol and psychosocial stress and the repeatability and heritability of hair cortisol concentrations. Current standards for the quantification of hair cortisol are critically reviewed in detail for the first time and gaps in technical validation of these methods highlighted. The known effects of a variety of sources of hair cortisol variation are also reviewed, including hair sampling site, sex, age and adiposity. There is currently insufficient evidence to conclude that cortisol concentration in hair accurately reflects long-term blood cortisol concentrations. Similarly, there is a lack of information surrounding the mechanisms of cortisol incorporation into the hair. This review highlights several directions for future research to more fully validate the use of hair cortisol as an indicator of chronic stress.

Two Novel Polymorphisms in 5' Flanking Region of the Mesothelin Gene are Associated with Soluble Mesothelin-Related Peptide (SMRP) Levels

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfonso Cristaudo ◽  
Rudy Foddis ◽  
Alessandra Bonotti ◽  
Silvia Simonini ◽  
Agnese Vivaldi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Pleural Mesothelioma ◽  
Clinical Use ◽  
Nucleotide Polymorphisms ◽  
Single Nucleotide ◽  
Elisa Kit ◽  
Surveillance Programs ◽  
Flanking Region

Background and aims Increased concentrations of soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRP) have been found in sera of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) even if a relatively high rate of false positives has hampered their clinical use as a tumor marker. Individual SMRP levels could be affected by polymorphic elements. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms within the promoter-5'UTR regions and SMRP levels in healthy asbestos-exposed individuals and patients suffering from MPM. Methods The promoter-5'UTR regions of the mesothelin gene were genotyped in 59 healthy asbestos-exposed subjects and 27 MPM patients. SMRP levels were measured using a commercially available ELISA kit. Results Two novel polymorphisms, an A>C variant (called New1) and a C>T variant (called New2), were identified. In healthy subjects, high SMRP levels were associated with the C-variant of New1, with an average 1.62-fold increase compared with AA homozygotes (p<0.0001). Most of the C-allele carriers had SMRP levels above the threshold of 1.00 nM. We set two different SMRP cutoffs on the basis of the combined New1+New2 genotypes. Conclusions New1-New2 genotypes could be employed as markers for setting individualized and appropriate thresholds of “normality” when SMRP is used in surveillance programs of asbestos-exposed people.

Analytical Techniques for Glass Contamination of Food: A Guide for Administrators and Analysts

1990 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 895-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN S. GECAN ◽  
STANLEY M. CICHOWICZ ◽  
PARIS M. BRICKEY
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Analytical Scheme

An analytical scheme is presented to provide an overview of techniques applicable to glass contamination in a variety of consumer products. Procedures are referenced or presented in detail, with emphasis on quality assurance. References on forensic and analytical methods for the examination of glass are provided.

From Parochial to International

1989 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Alex Williams
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Reference Materials ◽  
Analytical Methods ◽  
Certified Reference Materials ◽  
Analytical Measurement ◽  
Require Data

Abstract The customers for analytical measurement services have international requirements; they require data of proven validity that will be accepted internationally. This means that well researched and tested analytical methods must gain better international acceptance. The methods should be capable of producing results to the accuracy required by the customer. They need to be supported by the use of appropriate certified reference materials, and the analyst, in reporting results, should give an estimate of the accuracy obtained. In addition, an independent accreditation is needed of the quality assurance procedures of the laboratory to assure customers that the analytical methods have been used correctly.

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